This type of yoga is famous all over the World due to incorporation of some Hatha Yogic practices and yoga asana by the some modern seers.   This yoga has devised means to check the outward moving tendencies of the mind and restrain the desires so that one is to be able to reach the state of super consciousness or samadhi in the most smooth and harmonious method.   It has been discussed in this type of Yoga that ignorance of true knowledge causes ‘I ness’ and an individual considers himself non-eternal real. This is primarily due to ego and design of creation.  It is revealed that the attachment to body, pleasure, animosity, desire, aversion and anger are reasons for affliction of the mind.   A man’s latent impressions have their roots in their previous births; they shape up in this birth and will be there in future births too.    These deep impressions called samskaras are responsible for both pleasure and pain in ones lifetime; also they make a person act in a particular manner.    These afflictions continue till such time that they are burnt up by practice of yoga.

A wise person of discriminative knowledge views the entire world experience of pleasure and pain as pain only.   This is not a pessimistic approach towards life but by taking that all experiences in the world are very temporary and permanent pleasure is not forthcoming through worldly objects.    Also, if one takes an over view of the entire life,

one finds that the process of birth, growth, decay and death birth after birth at this plane of consciousness is not at all a happy going.   One has to struggle each time one is born either as a man or an animal.   Many argue who has seen the life after death?   Answer is simple, if this was not so why would all Gods who have incarnated in various times and places only preached virtue and restraint, and not vice and indulgence. They knew the consequences of sinful conduct and gratuitous desires.   

    Each person has in a broad category the following physical, mental and psychological requirements:

(a)    Dharma.  (Performance of secular and spiritual duties in life).

(b)   Kama.     (Fulfillment of desires).

(c)    Arth         (Economic prosperity).

(d)   Moksha.  (Enlightenment).

     The yoga of the eight limbs was devised considering the entire requirements of a human being.   The practice of any particular system of yoga is very difficult because the effort required by all human beings may not be adequate towards the achievement of the ultimate result; hence Astang yoga or practices akin to this type of yoga are very conducive for almost all types of personalities.   We must understand what these practices are.    Astang yoga has the following eight limbs:       

    (a) Yama.     

    (b) Niyama.

    (c) Asana.

    (d) Pranayama.

    (e) Pratyahara.

    (f) Dharna.

    (g) Dhyana.